Dramatic DDT

“NEW YEAR’S EVE WRESTLING 2018 ~TOSHIWASHURE! SHUFFLE TAG TOURNAMENT”, 31/12/2018
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

Yasufumi Nakanoue & Kazusada Higuchi
Takayuki Ueki & Mike Bailey
Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuki Iino
Yoshihisa Uto & Sanshiro Takagi
Ryota Hama & Antonio Honda
Abdullah Kobayashi & HARASHIMA
Ryuji Ito & Yuki Ueno
Tatsuhiko Yoshino & Tetsuya Endo
Minoru Fujita & Soma Takao
Daichi Hashimoto & Daisuke Sasaki
Brahman Brothers & Masahiro Takanashi
Great Kojika & Sammy Guevara
Takuya Nomura & Kazuki Hirata
Yuji Okabayashi & Yukio Sakaguchi
Yuya Aoki & MAO
Yuko Miyamoto & Konosuke Takeshita

The co-promoted tag tournament between Big Japan and DDT is back again for another New Year’s Eve celebration. The first two rounds will be given 10 minute time limits, the semi-finals have a 15 minute limit and the final has no time limit. Time limit draws will be decided with Sudden Death One Count Pinfall rules. Today the teams were chosen at a special event open to members of both companies’s fan clubs. Not everyone involved in the tournament could appear but the majority commented on their teams.

Yasufumi Nakanoue said he is nervous because this is his first New Year’s Eve Wrestling show. Kazusada Higuchi calmed him down by saying it is an honour to team with him.

Takayuki Ueki introduced himself in English to Mike Bailey by calling himself “Police Man” and calling Bailey “Best Partner”. Their team name is TEAM LET’S GO.

Daisuke Sekimoto thinks it is fate for him to team with Yuki Iino.

Yoshihisa Uto wants to make the most out of his pairing with Sanshiro Takagi. He described Takagi as the strongest power in DDT.

Antonio Honda wanted to team with the biggest wrestler around so he’s happy to be with Ryota Hama. Together they will be the most conspicuous team in the tournament.

Abdullah Kobayashi & HARASHIMA are without any argument the most handsome combination that could have been made this year. However, HARASHIMA is concerned with the arm injury that Kobayashi recently suffered. Kobayashi says he will get consultation about it tomorrow and will train hard to be fit in time. He also suggested their team should be called Because I Love The Team.

Next year will be Ryuji Ito’s 20th year in pro wrestling so winning the tournament will be the perfect way to celebrate. Yuki Ueno feels a little out of his depth next to Ito and realises that he’s going to be in more tense matches than usual.

Tetsuya Endo wanted to team up with The Great Kojika again. Instead he gets Tatsuhiko Yoshino. Endo is fine with that because he and Yoshino wear similar looking clothes. Yoshino is hoping to get past the 1st round in the tournament for once.

Minoru Fujita wasn’t there so Soma Takao had to pose with a picture of him. Takao is thinking about inviting Fujita to join DAMNATION and replace Nobuhiro Shimatani as their temporary manager.

Daisuke Sasaki asked Daichi Hashimoto if they can lose their match as quick as possible because he wants to spend New Year’s Eve relaxing at home. Hashimoto refuses because he wants to win the tournament. Sasaki also wants to call their team The Three Musketeers but Hisaya Imabayashi quickly shut that idea down.

Masahiro Takanashi says his private life is a lot like being one of the Brahman Brothers. He thinks they will get along and work hard together because of that.

The Great Kojika & Sammy Guevara were both absent.

Takuya Nomura may dance with Kazuki Hirata during their matches. That’s all he knows about Hirata.

Yuji Okabayashi is 100% certain his team will win so Yukio Sakaguchi can go on a hangover fueled rampage through the tournament if he’d like.

Yuya Aoki & MAO quickly bonded over their young age. Youth is their weapon against the rest of the field!

Konosuke Takeshita wants to make it to the final for the fourth year in a row. He believes his team with Yuko Miyamoto is the best combination available.